1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beverage dispensers using mechanical refrigeration systems to produce an ice bank in an ice water bath to cool the syrup and water tubes, and more particularly to a system for preventing the unnecessary erosion of the ice bank when the dispenser is idle or inactive, and thus for increasing the draw capacity of the dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current beverage dispensers using a refrigeration unit to produce an ice bank in an ice water bath employ an agitator which operates continuously or which operate based on timed on/off cycles regardless of use. These dispensers unnecessarily shear the ice and release its latent heat to atmosphere or to other heat sinks resulting in misshapen and smaller ice banks, thus reducing the draw capacity of the dispensers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice bank control system which solves the above-mentioned problems in current dispensers.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for controlling the operation of the agitator and of the mechanical refrigeration unit to prevent unnecessary erosion of the ice bank and to increase the draw capacity of the dispenser.
It is a further object of this invention to sense the build-up of the ice bank between two positions and to provide electrical signals which are then used to control the operation of the agitator and of the refrigeration unit.
It is another object of this invention to provide an override mode of operation, to measure the total amount of time the dispensing valves are on since the agitator was last turned off, and to then turn on the agitator when the total amount of time reaches a particularly valve.
It is another object of this invention to provide this control logic with minimum componentry and expense and with high reliability.